Economics: A User's Guide

Economics: A User's Guide

Given that chemistry is the study of chemicals and biology is the study of living things, one might assume that economics is the study of the economy. That's not entirely incorrect, but it's not the entire story either. In his latest book ECONOMICS: The User's Guide (Bloomsbury; On sale: August 26th), Cambridge professor and prize-winning economist Ha-Joon Chang provides an accessible, comprehensive guide to understanding the controversial science and its implications in our everyday lives.

With a masterful knowledge of history, a disregard for conventional economic pieties, and his trademark irreverent wit, Chang offers insights that will never be found in textbooks. The result is a clear and honest portrait of the global economy-from the future of the Euro to the state of the American manufacturing industry-meant to empower the general public to form opinions and adopt principles based on their own acquired knowledge and personal experience. Economics, Chang says, "is far too important to be left to professional economists."

Unlike many economists, who present only one view of their discipline, Chang introduces a wide range of economic theories, from classical to Keynesian, revealing their strengths and weaknesses and demonstrating why there is no one way to explain economic behavior. Join New America and author Ha-Joon Chang for an in-depth discussion of his economic findings.

Participants

Ha-Joon Chang Author, Economics: A User's Guide (Bloomsbury; On Sale: August 26th)
Moderator

Michael Lind Policy Director, Economic Growth Program New America Foundation